Why did Erling Haaland & Rodri miss Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid pre-season friendly?
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City are still without many of their key players.
Erling Haaland’s Manchester City and Atletico Madrid play a pre-season friendly today as they continue to prepare for their respective 2026-27 seasons.
Atletico lost 2-1 to Manchester United in their latest pre-season game, while Manchester City won 3-1 over K-League All Stars.
Man City began their preparations for the 2026-27 season with a 1-1 draw against Inter Milan in early August, before losing the ensuing penalty shootout 3-1.
The Cityzens will finish their preseason against Atletico Madrid before moving on to the FA Community Shield. There they will face Arsenal on August 16.
Manchester City are still missing Erling Haaland, who has yet to join the roster after representing Norway in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Rayan Cherki, Marc Guehi, Elliot Anderson, and Nico O’Reilly will also be absent from Enzo Maresca’s squad. Meanwhile, the Spanish midfielder Rodri is recovering after undergoing a minor back procedure.
Erling Haaland and Rodri missed Manchester City’s pre-season friendly against Atlético Madrid in Seoul. All due to lengthy rest after their strong runs at the FIFA World Cup 2026, as well as the club’s cautious approach to fitness management.
Why did Erling Haaland & Rodri miss the game against Atlético Madrid?
Haaland played for Norway until the quarterfinals, whereas Rodri represented Spain and won the competition. Because they advanced to the tournament’s final rounds, club laws and FIFA-FIFPRO agreements mandated that they rest before the new Premier League season began.
Manchester City left them out of the initial travelling squad for the Asian pre-season trip to avoid overloading key players.
According to reports, Rodri had a recent back operation and was undergoing a cautious recovery and pre-season training regimen.
Why will Erling Haaland & Rodri miss the game against Atlético Madrid?
Haaland is currently given extra rest while the Spanish midfielder is recovering from a back injury.
Where will the game be played?
It will be played at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul, South Korea.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.